CONTRADICTION A CONCERN
Local MP Joe McGirr says that he will oppose the voluntary assisted dying bill because of "advances in palliative care" ("MP to oppose euthanasia", The Weekend Advertiser, November 13).
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On the same day, Premier Dom Perrottet was busy apologising and blaming himself, when he was treasurer, for "not doing enough to improve palliative care" and promising to "do more to improve palliative care" ("It's time to fix my mistake", Daily Telegraph, November 13).
The two statements can't both be true. Mr McGirr cites the huge "advances" in palliative care in glowing terms while the Premier heaps scorn upon his own head for having "failed to deliver that care" which he defines as "adequate pain relief and access."
He claims to have "failed" but promises to "fix it", noting that there's "clearly more to do".
This mutually exclusive contradiction might lead one to believe that Mr McGirr's huge "advances in palliative care" haven't yet been invented.
Quite the opposite, we have a state premier wallowing in guilt for a system wherein, he says, it is difficult to access pain relief which might very well prove to be inadequate anyway.
Mr McGirr's other reason for opposing the bill is because one medical study suggested that terminal patients seeking to end their lives did so only for "psychological reasons".
Quite sane psychological reasons some might suggest but that's by-the-by.
His own reasoning is that euthanasia "goes against the sanctity of human life".
Life, in other words, is "god-given" (sanctified) and euthanasia is thus a sin.
I don't criticise what people believe about the mystical dogma that religion entails.
But religious faith is, I'm sure, the perfect example of a "psychological reason" on which to base a rational argument.
Perhaps Dr McGirr believes that his psychological reasons are better than those held by the terminally ill.
Robert T Walker, Wagga
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KEEP CLOSE WATCH AT ALL TIMES
Royal Life Saving is asking your readers to be especially vigilant of children around the water this summer and to 'keep watch' at all times.
Our new research shows 532 children aged four and under drowned in the past 19 years.
It also shows that a child's risk of drowning triples after their first birthday; 40 per cent of children were just one year old when they drowned.
For every fatal drowning in this age group, eight children are admitted to hospital following a non-fatal drowning. Some will sustain life-long brain injuries.
We know summer is when young children are most at risk. Swimming pools are the leading location for drowning among children, accounting for more than half of all deaths.
The four things we recommend to prevent drowning are: actively supervise children around water; restrict children's access to water; teach children water safety skills; and learn how to respond in the case of an emergency.
Around the water you can't multitask and just check that email - actively supervising children needs your complete attention and you need to be within arm's reach.
Drowning in children is quick and silent.
Please check your pool fence and gate to make sure they are in working order.
Kids can't help themselves around water, you need to. Keep watch.
Justin Scarr, CEO, Royal Life Saving Society Australia
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